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Heavy rain causes floods across Cumbria

Homes and roads were flooded and train services disrupted as the county was again battered by bad weather.

Fire crews were kept busy throughout the day with calls to flooded properties.

Two homes on Fernleigh Close in Seaton, near Workington and one at Irving Vale in Great Clifton were pumped out and firefighters also responded to general flooding at School Brow, Moresby Parks and on the car park at Moorclose Sports Centre, Workington. They were also called to Dovers Lane in Papcastle to prevent a property flooding.

A woman who had become trapped in her car about a mile outside Cliburn was rescued at about 6.40pm yesterday (Thursday) by firefighters, using throw lines. Floodwaters had risen to about 40cm (15.7 inches).

Elsewhere, Longtown Road in Brampton was closed while water was pumped away from an area near the police station.

Two fire crews worked to pump away water from a blocked drain that flooded the road.

The flooding started at around 3.20pm and closed Longtown Road between William Howard School and the police station.

Residents helped to keep water away from homes and sandbags were stacked up at the station and a few nearby houses.

Water was pumped into a nearby beck which was flowing freely and not in any danger of overflowing.

Resident Adam Hill could only watch nervously in the hope that water didn't get into his home.

"My sister rang me when she came to pick up her children and said there was some flooding. I thought it would be a bit of water on the road, but this is just mad," he said.

The road reopened last night when the floodwater was finally cleared between 8pm and 9pm.

In Carlisle, firefighters were last night (Thursday) called to flooding at the Indoor Bowling Club on Viaduct Estate Road. On arrival, they found "severe'" flooding in the area.

Stony Holme Golf Course in Carlisle has been closed this morning (Friday) due to flooding.

Crews in south Cumbria were also called to a number of incidents. These included a call to a hospice in Ulverston, where patients had to be evacuated after flood water entered the building and a children's nursery, also in Ulverston, where 15 children and staff had to be evacuated and moved to higher ground.

At one point, the fire service urged motorists to avoid driving in Coniston, Ulverston, Furness Peninsula, Dalton and Barrow.

There was standing water on many main roads including the A590, A591, A6 and A69.

Flooding was reported on the A686 at Eden Hall near Penrith, on the A69 around Brampton, the A689 at Hallbankgate and on the A6071 between Laversdale and Smithfield.

In Allerdale, routes at Seaton, Flimby, the A594 between Maryport and Dearham, the A596 between Netherhall and Birkby, Great Clifton and Briar Rigg in Keswick were all affected. And in Whitehaven, areas, including Coach Road, flooded.

There were also reports of standing water and/or floods on the Ponsonby to Calderbridge, Seaton to Broughton Moor, Muncaster-Waberthwaite, Keekle-Moor Row and Keswick-Bothel roads, all west Cumbria. There was said to be flooding at Jenkin Cross, near Wigton, while Abbey Bridge, near Lanercost, was just passable. There were also reported problems on the A596 at Waverton, near the Blencogo junction.

On the railways, services on the Carlisle to Barrow coastal line were disrupted due to flooding between Askam and Barrow. There was also a landslip between Harrington and Workington. Services are running this morning (Friday) but may be delayed.

Flooding between Carlisle and Hexham affected trains running between Carlisle and Newcastle.

Northern Rail trains on the line from Barrow to Lancaster were also hit by flooding yesterday (Thursday) due to flooding at Barrow. The service had resumed today.

Today (Friday), the Environment Agency still has a flood warning - where flooding is expected and action required - in place for Keswick Campsite.

Warnings for the River Eden, which burst its banks at Rickerby Park in Carlisle, the River Caldew at Cummersdale in Carlisle and River Ehen at Egremont, Bleach Green, Ennerdale Mill, Springfield Road, Vale View, Wood Bank and Bridge area have been lifted.

At one stage, there were 14 flood alerts on rivers across Cumbria. That was reduced to three this morning (Friday):

Lower River Eden

Rivers Brathay, Rothay and Winster

Upper River Derwent, Stonethwaite Beck and Derwent Water

A statement yesterday (Thursday) by the Environment Agency said: "We are experiencing a lot of rain which is now expected to last into the early evening. We are seeing some heavier downpours which is causing some rivers and becks to respond, and causing surface water issues."

Have your say

the road drains and culverts never seem to be cleaned until there is a problem by then it is too late and somebody else is flooded out!!!

Posted by ALBERT on
26 November 2012 at 12:29

I remember when in tewkesbury a couple of years ago that the cricket club was built on stilts after the floods there several years ago and the cathedral/abbey built on high ground hundreads of years ago was not affected.Just a thought.